TOWN BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 311, 18 December 1862, Page 5

TOWN BOARD.

A meeting of the Town Board was held yesterday afternoon, at 3 o'clock. Present:. Mr M'Leod, in the chair; Messrs Switzer, Hill, Webb, Duncan; Rednmyne, Henderson, Milne, Turner, Jenldnson, aud Cargill. . The minutes of the previous meeting were'read and confirmed. THE TOWN ENGINEER. A letter was read from'Mr John Millar, accepting the appointment of Town Engineer* and stating that he would be ready to enter upon the duties of the office on- the lsc January, 1863, at the latest. . Alter some discussion, a resolution was passed to the effect that the Board provide offices aud proper instruments for the use of the engineer. . levels. There were three applications for information as to levels in Princes-street, High-street, and Hope-street. . The Clerk explained that he was not in a position to afford the information, Mr Webb moved that a surveyor be employed to supply the levels asked for. Seconded by Mr Jenicinsox, and carried-; NUISANCE. A letter was read from S. G. Diack-to the effect that he had not been able to remove the nuisance (of a- large pool of stagnant water in Hope sireet) tor want of means. Ordered to lie on the table. HOWE STREET AND CUMBERLAND STREET. A memorial was read from thirty-two ratepayers of No. 2 Ward, representing the necessity of foiming Cumberland street and "Howe street, and asking that advantage be taken of the present fine weather. Mr Jenkinson moved that the memorial lie on the table for future consideration, Seconded by Mr DcNCANand carried. PAYMENT OF ASSESSORS. A letter was read from Mr W. Langlands, stating that he had seen a report in the Daihj Times, wherein Mr Switzer was represented as saythat only two asseesors had been seen at work together at one time ; and that such statement was incorrect, and in his opinion unjust to the assessors. Mr Switzeu said he had been misreported. He had not said that only two assessors nad been employed at any one time. He had intended to write to the Daily Times on the subject. Letters were also read from the other assessors, furnislung a .detailed account of the time employed in the assessment. , Mr ; Webb moved that the accounts of the assessors be passed. Seconded by Mr Henderson. Mr. Jenkinson said the • amount, L277 4s, seemed to him to be excessive, and he hoped that on a future occasion the Board would make better arrangements. Mr Switzer did not object; to the amount per day, but to the time taken. The motion was carried. CUTTING IN DOWLING-STREET AND PRINCES STREET. The Clerk said he understood that Mr Ross would be unable to proceed with the cutting in Princes-street. v Mr Henderson said he had that day seen Mr Ross, who bad said: he knew, .no reason why he should not be able to get on with the work. After some discussion, a resolution was carried, that Mr Ross be requested to go on with the work, but that should be refuse, fresh tenders be at once called for. CHAIRMAN AND DEPUTY CHAIRMAN. Mr Webb by leave of the Board postponed his motion for the appointment of a Chairman, and Deputy Chairman. TOWN CLERK'S SALARY. Mr Jenkinson, pursuant to notice, moved that; the salary ot the Town Clerk be increased. He represented;the onerous :and. varied nature of the duties, of the Clerk, and bore testimony to the efficient manner in which Mr Reid had hitherto discharged the duties. He moved that the Clerk's salary be increased from £300 a year to £450. J Mr Turner enquired what was" the salary of the assistant Clerk. The Chairman said it was £200. Mr Webb would second the motion pro forma, but he was not . prepared to. say that it was necessary to pay L650 a year for clerical work. Mr Cargill objected to the reasons advanced by Mr Jenkinson, for the raising of the Clerks' salary. It" should be remembered that some of tbe duties hitherto performed by the Clerk would | now be. discharged by the. Road Engineer. It was no reason for raising the Clerk's salary that the Board was about to pay a professional man 1.600.. He believed, however, that the Clerk was entitled to an increase. Mr Milne moved as an amendment that the Clerk's salary be LiQO a. year. Mr Redmayne seconded the amendment. Mr Duncan moved a further amendment that the salary be L350. . Seconded by Mr Switzer Mr Webb thought -.it.might be advisable to delay ponsideration of this subject, so as to do nothing hastily.. He should 'recommend that it be referred to a Committee. Mr Cargill agreed with Mr Webb's suggestion, eo Mr Jenkinson replied to the argumeuts adduced, aud pressed his motion. Mr Cargill moved as a further amendment that the question of increase of salary to the Town Clerk be referred to : tbe Standing Orders "Committee, to report upon at next meeting. Seconded by Mr Switzer.', Mr CarguTs amendment was carried by sevento two. • BANKING ACCOUNTS. The Clerk informed the Board that a portion of the present assessment had been received, and that the Board was under engagement to pay the money into a separate account, Mr Webb -moved that the interim treasurer open an account in conjunction with the Provincial Treasurer, Agreed to. - . PAVEMENTS. The Clerk informed the Board that there were two or three cases in which parties had nofc paid for pavements), and it would be necessary to proceed against them. j - It was resolved that Mr Gillies be requested to appear for the Board at the Resident Magistrate's Court. ENGINE HOUSE ANB. BELFRY. : The .Chaikman said that the next subject for consideration was the decision as to the plans for an engine house. Mr^ Switzer said that while waiting.lately on the Superintendent with a deputation from the Fre Brigade, lie had been led to understand that the Government would be disposed to grant a site close to the present Town Board Chambers. Mr Redjiayne suggested that it might perhaps be advisable to-devote the present Town Board building to the. Fire Brigade, and to erect a suitable Town Hall elsewhere. . After a lengthy discussion— Mr Cargill moved that the-committee of the Athenaeum be communicated with by the clerk to learn on what terms the Board could have 50 feet of frontage to Manse-street, to build a Town Hall and engine house.. In reply to a question, Mr. Cargill said that the Octagon was reserved as one of tho lungs of the town, and it would be useless to trv to get it for a Town Hall. Mr Redmayxe moved as an amendment that a committee bo appointed to enquire into the ad-

viability of erecting a Town Hal!, and to enquire nsto tlie most:availaHe^sitefe.i':.Uie--same-lhe-conimittec to .consist of m&s'Welb, Cur^iii;* iu i^od, and the mover, and to report at the first nißeiinir in January."" Agreed .to. - Mr Webb moved that a belfry be immediately erected on the site originally decided upon, beconded by Mr Duncan. Mr Jenkinson" moved ,as an amendment that the erection of the bell tower be postponed until after the-report of the committee on the -Town Hall. Agreed to: " : .. a:\ With the consent of the Board, Mr Redmaynb amended his resolution so as to allow the report on the lowii. Hall to be brought .up .at the next general meeting.

TaE ASSESSMENT. Mr Were, pursuant to notice, moved that the valuation of the town properties as assessed be reduced by one-sixth. In moving this resolution he thought he aud those who supported it might be exonerated from any charge of pandering improperly to the wishes of their constituents, tor he held that it was their duty as far- as possible to carry out, the wishes of their constituents. ■INor would such aresoluiion be in any way-in-vidious to the members of the (Id Board. He did not believe that when the old Board resolved upon the assessment they had the slightest idea ot tbe amount it would realise. It was extraordinarily high, about Ll per head for every man, woman and child, and would amount-to about L12,000.

Mr Switzer said that the old Board had reckoned on LIG,OOO. Mr Webb continued: By the assessment it appeared that the proparty in the city was valued at an annual rental of about a quarter of a million, an amount which he considered enormous, and far beyond what property would have realised during the last three months. Early in the year property had held a fictitious value because every one was holding, but now the case was altered, as those who had ottered property had found to their cost. He believed that tlv» plan of taking one-fifth eff the valuation was wrong in principle, in a city where the buildings were so frail. One-third off would be quite little enough to allow for wear and tear. The whole effect of his motion, if carried, would be to make the assessment yield 140,000 instead of Li2 ODO Ihe Board was, it was true, now at a. dead lock but they, were likely soon to be liberally relieved by the Government. The Government, he .might say, was committed to assist the Board He did not wish to huny the Board and should be "lad it some member would move, after the motion had been seconded, that the consideration of it be deferred until next meeting. I Mr Jknkinson seconded The motion. ,f Tft Chairkain did not believe it was in the power of the Board to reduce the valuation, as the rates had ah eidy been hypothecated. Besides, allowing for the reductions already mode on appeal, ho believed tb" LIOOOo" 1 W°U redUCed l° LB'°oo iasteadof

Mrfcwrrzßß sairl that the Board stool committed to the hypothecation of .these rates by the old B jard Tney were the security for the loan of Llo,ooo from the Bank winch had been granted by the Government, but winch these rat-s were designed to liquidate. It would be a breach of faith to the Government and to tne Baiiic to reduce the assessment Mr Jenkinson took the same view Air Duncan mover tfiat;the consideration of the motion be postponed to Tuesday next. Mr CAii-iiLL agreed that it was not competent for the .Board to reduce the assessment while the rates stood hypothecated, but, if it were possible to raise the money in time to pay tha- Bank, he should be quite willing to reduce the burden upon the ratepayers to an even greater extent than proposed by Mr Webb, although he thought this could be better effected by lowering tbe rate than by reducing the assessment. Mr Webb had no desire to interfere with any obligations of the Board, but was very anxious to effect the reduction if ifc could be honorably done. Mr CAttGiLii said that the Municipal Loan Ordinance had received the Governor's assent, and there would therefore be no difficulty about funds The Government would pay tlie LIO,OOOto theß ank on the Is!; January. Mr Duncan's motion, for the adjournment of the discussioc to next general meeting- was carried. THE ASPHALTE PAVEMENTS. • Mr Switzeu drew attention to the bad state of a portion, of the pavement in Rattray-street. Hethought that the contractor was bound to keep it in proper repair for six months. The Clerk explained that the portion in question was done beiore the agreement about keeping in repair was entered into. ACCOUNTS. The following accounts were passed for mvment:— y J Henry Reynolds - - - 26 12 6* W. Sigley & Co. - - 19 8 0 Lonnie and Co. - - -44 15 0 Lambert and Co. (Colonist) 55 910 The Board then adjourned. PEO V I IST CI A L COUNCIL.